More on Holiness

 

Jerry Bridges, in his book, The Pursuit of Holiness, says we don't take sin -- or at least some sins -- seriously enough.

He writes, in Chapter One, "We have mentally categorized sins into unacceptable and those which may be tolerated a bit."

But Scripture reminds us that "the little foxes ruin the vineyards" (Song of Songs 2:15).  It is compromise on the little issues that leads to greater downfalls.

"In commenting on some of the minute Old Testament dietary laws God gave the children of Israel, Andrew Donar said,

    It is not the importance of the thing, but the majesty of the Lawgiver, that is to be the standard of obedience...Some, indeed, might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these  as trifling. But the principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the same principle that was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree. It is really this: Is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever He commands? Is He a holy Lawgiver? Are His creatures bound to give implicit assent to His will?"

Shouldn't we be willing to call call "sin" not because it is big or little, but just because God's law forbids it? We cannot categorize sin according to our wishes if we are to live a life of holiness. God will not let us get away with that kind of attitude.

Where does holiness begin?

        But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it         is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."  (1 Peter 1:15-16)    

That's clear enough. We are to be like Him. It is a command not a suggestion.        

We must begin to look at sin -- all sin -- as an offense against a holy God. Our sin grieves His heart. 

It doesn't matter how significant the issue is: we are to be holy in everything just as He is.   

A popular quote these days is:

            Everybody thinks I'm crazy. They say, "You take the Jesus thing too                        seriously." Well, I don't know, but Christ took me pretty seriously when He               died for me on that cross.  

We could exchange that word "me"  in the last line for the words "my sin."     

Remember, it is not the  importance of the "sin"  but the majesty of the Lawgiver that is the standard of obedience....   

And there is no higher standard.